He's at it again on eBay

[Guest]

Refering back to a recent thread of someone selling a CD, containing downloaded aircraft add-ons, is selling another CD!!! Its currently at $10.50, with already 4 bidders.Sadly, this time he's also stated that the winner, will also... I'll just copy and paste:PLUS AN ADDED BONUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!IN ADDITION TO THE CD WITH THE ABOVE MENTIONED PLANES. THE WINNING BIDDER WILL RECEIVE INFORMATION ON WHERE TO GET LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF PLANES FOR FREE...THAT'S RIGHT FREE!!!!Great, so he's going to also sell the following links, www.flightsim.com, www.avsim.com, www.simflight.com etc...Check here: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...&category=11051Do you ever think this guy will give up?Thanks...JPconcorde3@concorde3.freeserve.co.uk

[Guest]

Well, as far as I can tell, they're still all public domain files, so he's within his legal rights. And there may be some people who don't have access to the internet on their FS computer and want to order such a CD. Of course, the added bonus thing shows that he's really just trying to swindle people, but...oh, well, not much you can do.Matt

[Guest]

Matt,I suppose your right in the sense that some people dont have access to the internet, but alot of these designers state that they will not allow their aircraft to be distributed or sold. But another thing to take into account is that eBay is on the internet, so buyers should be more aware of these places to download add-ons.Maybe if the designers got a share of the money, then that could be alright.It wont be long till this guy sells he's third CD after this second that is currently going. 3 CD's at the price he sold he's first one at $20, equates to $60, just from downloading and putting them onto CD. Then he's also charging for shipping.This guy is going to make a fortune from aircraft designers that spend hours making them.Shame this guy cant be stopped.Thanks for your reply...JPconcorde3@concorde3.freeserve.co.uk

[Guest Dee Waldron]

This is always funny, because I've heard this argument before (I not ragging on you Matt, but I just had to say this...), selling CD's of FS freeware over the internet, to people who don't have internet access. ROFLMO! :-lolI've been a victim of this too in the past.Dee Waldron (HJG)

[fspaan 1]

This is always funny, because I've heard this argument before (I not ragging on you Matt, but I just had to say this...), selling CD's of FS freeware over the internet, to people who don't have internet access. ROFLMO! Exactly the same as I wanted to write. And then they are trying to be clever and scream about legal rights...

[PeterR 9]

As long as the files are public domain (not freeware), then he can sell them for a bazillion dollars if he wants to. Putting something into the public domain means that the author relinquishes all rights to the work. On the other hand, if he's selling freeware then he must abide by the license that the freeware author provides.As for selling information, there isn't much you can do about that. If someone is dumb enough to pay for some web links rather than using Google, well what is there to say? Some people are just that dumb and give their money away. Caveat emptor--let the buyer beware. It would be nice if we could warn people.Peter http://bfu.avsim.net/sigpics/PeterR.gifBFU Forums Moderator[table border=2 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=1][tr][td][table border=0 cellpadding=8 cellspacing=0][tr][td bgcolor=#540000]http://bfu.avsim.net/sigpics/logo75t.gif[/td][td align="center" bgcolor=#FFFFF6]Bush Flying Unlimited"At home in the wild"Looking for adventure? Come join us! * [link:bfu.avsim.net|Web Site] * [link:www.cafepress.com/bfu,bfu2,bfu3,bfu4|BFU Store] * [link:bfu.avsim.net/join.htm]Join!][/td][/tr][/table][/td][/tr][/table

[Guest]

Just register www.avsim.com or www.flightsim.com and start overbidding people! :) How about it?

[Guest]

Is this the stuff this m*r*n is selling only "public domain", or is there a change he has snatched some addons licensed under "freeware" as well?

[Guest]

Even if the planes included are Public Domain, he could be "in the wrong".Here's an interesting link concerning eBay's policy about software on CD-R...http://webhelp.ebay.com/cgi-bin/eHNC/showd...58&queryid=CD-RUnless this guy is running a commercial CD press (not just a CD-R burner)...And, IF this guy will fess up and state that the work on this CD is his own work (even if it's released Public Domain) he's okay. Otherwise...ermm...he's violating eBay's sellers policy concerning "Software on CD-R".But, I suspect he won't admit to these planes being his work...unless he's Chuck Dome AND any other author who's work is included on the CD. If he does, then he would be admitting to copyright fraud by claiming other's work as his own (Public Domain copyright or not, that is still fraud).Shoot him and email and ask who really built the planes. And send an email to eBay too asking them to check into the item in question. More than likely, nothing will happen...but it's still worth an attempt.

[Guest]

Maybe we should contact the authors of the planes... and see what they will say.If this guy is capable of legally selling CD's of this type, then what is there to stop other people from doing the same, and making hundreds from other peoples work?Thanks...JPconcorde3@concorde3.freeserve.co.ukEDIT:P.S. It has also been sold for $26, + $2 shipping. Thats he's second (could be more) CD that we know he has sold.

[Guest]

Chuck Dome is the author of at least the majority, if not all, of the work on the CD. He specifically releases the work as Public Domain. That means that he doesn't care if others make money from his work. There's nothing to stop other people from making money. My problem with the situation is not that the seller is making money, but that the buyers are being ripped off. What can we do about it? Well, we could watch the auction page and email the high-bidder every time we see a new name there, but that's not terribly effective. The same number of people are going to get ripped off, because someone will eventually win the auction; we can't warn people until after they bid.As for the eBay policy, the gist of it is that you cannot offer software unless you are the copyright holder. The policy does not cover the situation of software that is not covered by copyright (including these aircraft). It neither forbids nor allows the sale of such software, so legally, the seller here is within his rights until eBay makes a clarification of the policy.Matt

[Guest]

What if someone was to set up an auction on e-bay worded nearly the same to get attention, but instead of selling a CD pout something like..." Do not buy CD's of planes from E-bay.. You can download any plane you want from www.avsim.com"That would hurt his cause I would guess..Al

[Guest]

Matt,Even if the software is released under Public Domain (which in the US IS a form of copyright...thus falling under eBay's current wording of their policy), it has to be the sellers copyright (commercial, freeware, PD, Open-License, etc) for him to be able to sell it. I.E. The seller has to have placed the software on the CD into the Public Domain himself if he wants to sell that particular CD on eBay. BTW, this applies to both eBay USA and eBay UK...I've "been there done that" having previously had to deal with someone selling my software on eBay in a non-FS software area, that's how I know eBay's policy on CD-R software. In my case, as with this one, the dollar amount wasn't enough for me to justify taking serious legal action...but I did get that particular seller in a little bit of hot-water. I'm sure he was back on eBay under a new username shortly after I was finished with him...but I still got him to itch a little bit. ;)I know for certain that 3 planes are definitely Chuck Dome's. As I remember it, Chuck releases most of his work as PD so as not to worry about arguing with all the copyright breakers of the world. that's his perogative. Chuck (or any other builder featured on the CD) would have to take the main action to get anything done about this guy...but if he doesn't want to, that's cool too, afterall they're his work he can do with them as he sees appropriate.In this case, I just plain don't like seeing the buyer get hosed.